Container construction and blank therefor

ABSTRACT

A container of one-piece construction is provided which includes a tray section and a cover section, the latter having a backwall foldably connected to a peripheral portion of a bottom panel forming a part of the tray section. The cover section backwall is provided with a pair of short elongated axially aligned fold lines which are disposed in spaced parallel relation with respect to the fold line connection between the cover and tray sections. A segment of the backwall disposed to one side of each fold line of the pair of short fold lines is secured to a flap foldably connected to an end wall forming a part of the cover section, thereby permitting distortion of said backwall when said cover section is moved to a closed position with respect to said tray section.

United States Patent 8/1967 Kossoffet al. 3/1969Persson........................

Robert Charles Hosek Madison, Wis.

[72] lnventor n 0 S r e d n n m A w y m l n ks m m Sma m c TUAVCOH Mm Wv Ne w m m 3 mu Er. 06 R O 0 RT... F n 5 r. 9 em.. .l n N mm l m e m xpE 5 l 0 W 9 awn 9 m m Jdun ID-AA m r e m A M n o m w 1 %Mw, m wm h n s aca 70 av 8N0PE Q 06 N mm L ng Wmmn a AFPA l: 253 2247 [[[l [54]CONTAINER CONSTRUCTON AND BLANK ABSTRACT: A container of one-piececonstruction is provided which includes a tray section and a coversection, the

THEREFOR latter having a baekwall foldably connected to a peripheral 10Claims, 6 Drawing Figs.

portion of a bottom panel forming a part of the tray section.

The cover section backwall is provided with a pair of short elongatedaxially aligned fold lines which are disposed in spaced parallelrelation with respect to the fold line connection between the cover andtray sections. A segment of the backwall disposed to one side of eachfold line of the pair of short fold lines is secured to a flap foldablyconnected to an end wall forming a part of the cover section, therebypermitting distortion of said backwall when said cover section is movedto a closed position with respect to said tray section.

w: w 1 s. z i h a n k a i i 4. Vi wlillm ilfrlhh V 1. u w; a ma |il III.1 M i i. a 6 N t l n n n w a W I 5 u M i r A s v u Z 2 V r a. m. i. i 7m 4 p w CONTAINER CONSTRUCTION AND BLANK THEREFOR BACKGROUND OF THEINVENTION Various types of containers having foldably connected coverand tray sections have heretofore been produced, however, because ofcertain design characteristics they were beset with one or more of thefollowing shortcomings: (a) the container was of complex and costlyconstruction, (b) the container was difficult and awkward to set up atthe time it was to be used, (c) the container did not provide adequateprotection for'its contents, (d) the cover section was not readilymanipulated into or out of a closed position, and (e) the container wasnot suitable to be sent to the customer in blank because of thedifi'tculty encountered by the customer in setting up the container.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION Thus, it is an object of this invention toprovide a container which avoids the shortcomings aforenoted.

It is a further object of this invention to provide a container blank ofsheet material which is formed without any waste of the sheet material.

It is a still further object of this invention to provide a containerwhich may be shipped to and stored by the customer in blank and readilyset up by the customer when said container is to be loaded.

It is a further object of this invention to provide a container which isof simple yet sturdy construction and is capable of accommodating avariety of products.

Further and additional objects will appear from the description,accompanying drawings, and appended claims.

In accordance with one embodiment of this invention, a container ofone-piece construction is provided which comprises a tray section and acover section foldably connected thereto. The tray section includes abottom panel which is delimited on three sides by an upright front walland opposed upright end walls. The cover section, on the other hand, isprovided with a top panel which is delimited by depending front and backwalls and opposed end walls. The end walls of the cover section areconnected to the adjacent end portions of the cover section from andback walls by flaps which engage the interior surfaces of said front andback walls. The lower edge of the depending back wall is foldablyconnected to the peripheral portion of the bottom panel disposed betweenthe upright end walls. The end portions of the depending back wall,engaged by the end wall flaps, are provided with short, elongatedaxially aligned fold lines which are spaced from and are substantiallyparallel to the fold line connection between the cover and traysections. Only a segment of the back wall disposed to one side of eachshort fold line is secured to the adjacent flap so that said back wallmay be readily distorted to facilitate moving of said cover section to aclosed position.

For a more complete understanding of the invention reference should bemade to the drawings wherein:

FIG. 1 is a top plan view of a blank for use in setting up one form ofthe improved container.

FIG. 2 is a perspective view of the blank shown in a partially setupcondition.

FIG. 3 is a perspective view of the blank fully set up but showing theimproved container in an open condition.

FIG. 4 is an enlarged side elevational view of the improved containershown in FIG. 3.

FIG. 5 is similar to FIG. 4 but showing the cover section in a partiallyclosed condition and the back wall thereof in distorted condition.

FIG. 6 is similar to FIGS. 4 and 5 but showing the improved containerwith the cover section thereof in a fully closed condition and the backwall thereof in an undistorted condition.

Referring now to the drawings and more particularly to FIG. 3, animproved container 10 is shown which includes a tray section 11 and acover section 12 hingedly connected thereto.

The tray section 11 is provided with a bottom panel 13, a front wall 14,and two opposed end walls and 16. The walls 14*16 delimit at least threesides of panel 13 and extend upwardly therefrom. Each end wall isprovided with an end flap 15a or 16a which is secured to the interiorsurface of the adjacent end portion of the front wall 14 andinterconnects the end wall to the front wall.

The cover section 12, on the other hand, includes a top panel 17 a frontwall 18, a back wall 20, and a pair of opposed end walls 21 and 22. Thewalls 18 and 20-22 delimit the top panel 17 and depend therefrom. Eachend wall 21 or 22 is provided with a pair of end flaps 21a and b or 220and b. End flaps 21a and 22a are secured to the interior surface of theadjacent end portions of the front wall 18. End flaps 21b and 22b, onthe other hand, are secured to the interior surface of the adjacent endportions of the back wall 20. The lower elongated edge of the coversection back wall is hingedly connected by fold line 23 to the rear edgeof the tray section bottom panel 13. Thus, when the container is in itsfully closed position, as seen in FIG. 6, the back wall 20 of the coversection '12 serves as the back wall for the tray section 11, as well.

It will be noted in FIG. I that the blank B for the container 10 of FIG.3 has a rectangular configuration with no wasted blank material. Theblank material is preferably double-faced corrugated fiberboard. Bottompanel 13 is defined by fold lines 23, 24, 25 and 26. These fold linesconnect respectively back wall 20, end wall 15, front wall 14, and endwall 16 to the periphery of bottom panel 13. Cuts 27 and 28 which arealigned with fold lines 24 and 26 separate the end portions of frontwall 14 from flaps 15a and 16a.

The free ends 15b and 16b of end walls 15 and 16 are separated from endflaps 21b and 22b respectively by angle cuts 30 and 31. The end flaps21b and 22b are also separated from the adjacent portions of bottompanel 13 and back wall 20 by cuts 32 and 33, respectively. It is to benoted that the length (long dimension) of each end wall 15 and 16 isforeshortened a small amount by reason of the angular disposition ofcuts 30 and 31. The foreshortened dimension of the tray section endwalls 15 and 16 facilitates distortion of the cover section back wallwithout interference during closing of the cover section.

The top panel 17 of the cover section 12 is defined by fold lines 34,35, 36, and 37, which, in turn, join the back wall 20, end wall 21,front wall 18, and end wall 22, respectively to said top panel. Cuts 38and 40 separate the end limits of front panel 18 from end flaps 21a and22a.

End flaps 15a and 16 a are foldably connected to end walls 15 and 16,respectively by extensions 25a of fold line 25. In a like manner, endflaps 2l-b-22b, and Zia-22a are connected to end walls 21 and 22 by foldline extensions 34a and 36a.

Back wall 20 is provided at opposite ends thereof with a pair ofelongated short fold lines 410 and b which are in axially alignedrelation. Each short fold line is approximately equidistant from andsubstantially parallel to the fold lines 23 and 34, the latterconnecting, respectively, the bottom panel 13 and top panel 17 to theback wall 20. The short fold lines 41a and b are reverse-scored withrespect to the scoring of fold lines 23 and 34. The reason for thereverse-scoring will become apparent hereinafter.

The illustrated blank B is provided with areas A, A, and A of adhesivewhich enable the blank to be readily set up. Areas A are located on theinterior surface of the tray section front wall 14 adjacent the endportions thereof and are adapted to bond the end flaps 15a and 16a tothe front wall 14 and thus maintain front wall 14 and end walls 15 and16 in their proper upright positions relative to bottom panel 13.

Adhesive areas A are disposed in corresponding locations on the coversection front wall 18 and serve to bond the end flaps 21a and 22a to theinterior surface of the front wall 18.

Areas A it will be noted, in FIG. 1 are disposed between the fold line34 and each short fold line 41a and 41b. Thus, when the blank'is set up,only the upper portion of each end flap 21b and 22b will be secured tothe back wall 20. By reason of this manner of attaching the end flaps21b and 22b to the back wall 20, a slight outward distortion of theupper portion of the back wall can be readily obtained during closing ofthe cover section 12, see FIG. 5, and thereby enable the cover sectionfront wall 18 and end flaps 21a and 22a attached thereto to be readilypositioned in front of the tray section front wall 14. Because of theshort lengths of fold lines 41a and 41b, the inherent fight-back(resistance to distortion) of the back wall 20 is not materiallyweakened and thus, once the cover section 12 is in its fully closedposition, the front wall 18 thereof will resiliently engage the frontwall 14 and frictionally retain the cover section in its fully closedposition.

The areas A, A, and A may be coated with self-sticking adhesive,hot-melt adhesive, or the like. Furthermore, in lieu of adhesive,staples may be utilized in the designated areas to secure the end flapsto adjacent portions of the walls. Whatever securing means is utilized,the setting up of the carton is easily accomplished. Either the coversection 12 or the tray section 11 may be initially set up. As seen inH0. 2, the cover section has been first formed and in such a situationthe contents of the container, now shown, may be spotted on the bottompanel 13 of the tray section prior to the two end walls 15 and 16 andthe front wall 14 being folded upright and secured to one another. Whenthe contents are such that they may not be readily spotted on the bottompanel, the tray section 11 may be completely set up before the containeris loaded. in the latter case, the container is loaded while it isdisposed in the position as shown in FIG. 3.

The end flaps provide added strength to the container at its comers andthus, the improved container is capable of withstanding high bearingloads.

it is to be noted that the size and shape of the improved container maybe varied from that shown without departing from the scope of theinvention.

lclaim:

l. A container formed from a single blank of foldable sheet material,said container comprising a first section having a first panel, anelongated first front wall, and elongated first end walls, said wallsextending angularly from the periphery of said first panel; and a secondsection having a second panel delimited by angularly extending elongatedsecond front, and end walls and a back wall, said second end walls beingprovided with end flaps which are disposed in face-to-face relation withand are secure to adjacent end portions of said second front wall andsaid back wall, an elongated edge of said second section back wall beingfoldably connected to an elongated peripheral portion of said firstpanel, the front and end walls of said second section overlying theexterior surfaces of the front and end walls of said first section whensaid sections are disposed in closed relation; the portions of said backwall engaged by the end wall flaps of said second section, each beingprovided with an elongated short fold line disposed substantiallyparallel to the folding connection between said back wall and theperiphery of said first panel, said short fold lines being axiallyaligned and extending toward one another from opposite end edges of saidback wall, the inner ends of said short fold lines being spaced asubstantial distance from one another, only a segment of each back wallportion disposed to one side of said short fold line being secured tothe adjacent end flap of said second end wall.

2. The container of claim 1 including end flaps foldably connected tosaid first end walls and secured in face-to-face relation to theinterior surface of said first front wall.

3. The container of claim 1 wherein said first section forms a traysection, ,and said second section fonns a cover section the interiorsurface of the container.

6. The container of claim 4 wherein the free elongated edge of eachfirst end wall is of greater extent than the fold line connectionbetween said first panel and said first end wall- 7. The container ofclaim 4 wherein each short fold line is disposed at substantiallymidheight of said back wall.

8. The container of claim 4, wherein the end flaps of said second endwalls are adhesively secured to the interior surfaces of said back walland said second front wall.

9. A container blank of foldable sheet material comprising a first setof elongated substantially parallel fold lines defining in succession atray section front wall, a bottom panel, a cover section back wall, atop panel, and a cover section front wall; a second set of fold linesand cuts angularly disposed with respect to said first set andcooperating therewith to define tray section end walls foldablyconnected to opposite sides of said bottom panel, first flaps disposedat opposite sides of said tray section front wall and separatedtherefrom by cuts, each first flap being foldably connected to anadjacent end wall, cover section end walls foldably connected toopposite sides of said top panel, second flaps disposed at oppositesides of said cover section back wall and separated therefrom and fromsaid tray section end walls by cuts, and third flaps disposed atopposite sides of said cover section front wall and separated therefromby cuts, corresponding second and third flaps being foldably connectedto a cover section end wall; and a pair of axially aligned elongatedshort fold lines formed on said back wall and extending a predetermineddistance from opposite ends thereof towards one another, the inner endsof said short fold lines being spaced from one another, said pair ofshort fold lines being substantially parallel to said first set of foldlines.

10. The blank of claim 9 wherein said pair of short fold lines aredisposed substantially equidistant from the fold linesconnecting saidbottom panel and said top panel to said cover section back wall.

1. A container formed from a single blank of foldable sheet material,said container comprising a first section having a first panel, anelongated first front wall, and elongated first end walls, said wallsextending angularly from the periphery of said first panel; and a secondsection having a second panel delimited by angularly extending elongatedsecond front, and end walls and a back wall, said second end walls beingprovided with end flaps which are disposed in face-to-face relation withand are secure to adjacent end portions of said second front wall andsaid back wall, an elongated edge of said second section back wall beingfoldably connected to an elongated peripheral portion of said firstpanel, the front and end walls of said second section overlying theexterior surfaces of the front and end walls of said first section whensaid sections are disposed in closed relation; the portions of said backwall engaged by the end wall flaps of said second section, each beingprovided with an elongated short fold line disposed substantiallyparallel to the folding connection between said back wall and theperiphery of said first panel, said short fold lines being axiallyaligned and extending toward one another from opposite end edges of saidback wall, the inner ends of said short fold lines being spaced asubstantial distance from one another, only a segment of each back wallportion disposed to one side of said short fold line being secured tothe adjacent end flap of said second end wall.
 2. The container of claim1 including end flaps foldably connected to said first end walls andsecured in face-to-face relation to the interior surface of said firstfront wall.
 3. The container of claim 1 wherein said first section formsa tray section, and said second section forms a cover section therefor.4. The container of claim 1 wherein the segment of each back wallportion disposed between said short fold line and the connection betweensaid back wall and said second panel is secured to the adjacent end flapof said second end wall.
 5. The container of claim 4, wherein thescoring for said short fold lines is formed on the exterior surface ofthe container and the scoring for the fold line connections between saidback wall and said first and second panels is formed on the interiorsurface of the container.
 6. The container of claim 4 wherein the freeelongated edge of each first end wall is of greater extent than the foldline connection between said first panel and said first end wall.
 7. Thecontainer of claim 4 wherein each short fold line is disposed atsubstantially midheight of said back wall.
 8. The container of claim 4,wherein the end flaps of said second end walls are adhesively secured tothe interior surfaces of said back wall and said second front wall.
 9. Acontainer blank of foldable sheet material comprising a first set ofelongated substantially parallel fold lines defining in succession atray section front wall, a bottom panel, a cover section back wall, atop panel, and a cover section front wall; a second set of fold linesand cuts angularly disposed with respect to said first set andcooperating therewith to define tray section end walls foldablyconnected to opposite sides of said bottom panel, first flaps disposedat opposite sides of said tray section front wall and separatedtherefrom by cuts, each first flap being foldably connected to anadjacent end wall, cover section end walls foldably connected toopposite sides of said top panel, second flaps disposed at oppositesides of said cover section back wall and separated therefrom and fromsaid tray section end walls by cuts, and third flaps disposed atopposite sides of said cover section front wall and separated therefromby cuts, corresponding second and third flaps being foldably connectedto a cover section end wall; and a pair of axially aligned elongatedshort fold lines formed on said back wall and extending a predetermineddistance from opposite ends thereof towards one another, the inner endsof said short fold lines being spaced from one another, said pair ofshort fold lines being substantially paralleL to said first set of foldlines.
 10. The blank of claim 9 wherein said pair of short fold linesare disposed substantially equidistant from the fold lines connectingsaid bottom panel and said top panel to said cover section back wall.